Foldable display device



y 1965 J. M. MELVIN 3,183,862

FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENVENTURJAM ES MICHAEL MELVIN ATTouNr=-v y 1955 J. M. MELVIN 3,183,862

FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IFI G-.- 2

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HNVENTEIR JAMES MICHAEL MELVIN ATTn 12 N EY May 18, 1965 J. M. MELVIN3,183,862 FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 10, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 0IF! Er.- 3

JINVENTEH? JAMES MICHAEL MELVIN MQ wn,

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,183,862 FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE JamesMichael Melvin, Elwood, Ind, assignor to Monticello ManufacturingCorporation, Elwood, Ind. Filed Dec. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 329,542 6Claims. (Cl. 108-444) ing-members other than the interengaging portionsof the rack members, and without requiring auxiliary holding means suchas screws or straps.

A further and general object of the invention is to provide a new andadvantageous display rack which is light in weight and economical information, which is sturdy in use, and which is readily and convenientlyassembled or disassembled quickly and without tools, and which providesfor ready and convenient change of shelfplaeement, without tools.

In carrying out the invention in an illustrative embodiment, there isprovided a display rack including a back panel having side panels hingedthereto, and a plurality spacing of shelves when the rack is used. Thepanels and shelves are advantageously formed of wire or rod, providinglightness of weight and openness of display of the articles supported onthe rack; and integrally-formed holding-features provide sturdiness andrigidity, with the means which secure the shelves in position alsoco-operating to maintain the perpendicular relationship of the back andside panels. The parts are adapted to be shipped and stored in acollapsed or knocked-down condition, and the holding-features co-operateto maintain a securely-held rigid assembly when the parts are arrangedinto rack forming condition without auxiliary holding means such asscrews.

The above description of a display rack of the present invention isintroductory and rather general; and the above-mentioned and otherobjects, concepts, features, and advantages of the present inventionwill be further apparent from the following more detailed description ofan illustrative embodiment thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a display rack according to anillustrative embodiment thereof, arranged in extended or rack-formingcondition;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along section-lineIlI-III of FIG. 1, on enlarged scale, showing a plan view of a shelfcomponent of the rack;

of shelves optionally locatable to provide the desired 3,183,862Patented May 18, 1965 ice 2-0 in a vertically spaced series, and a pairof verticallyextending braces shown as V-shaped members 22, all shown asformed of heavy wire or rod stock and suitably joined as by welding toprovide a unitary frame.

The side panels 14 are each shown as comprising a pair of spacedvertical members, front and rear ones of which are respectivelyidentified by reference numerals 24 and 26, several horizontal members28 in a vertically spaced series, and another vertical member 36adjacent the front vertical member 24 but shown (see FIGS. 1 and 3) aslaterally spacedtherefrom by the thickness of the horizontal members 28,providing both strength and an assembly feature yet to be described.Lower portions of the vertical members 24 and 26 are laterally-turned toprovide a base or feet 31 for the rack; and the members of the sidepanels 14, like those of the back panel 12, are shown as formed of heavywire or rod stock, and are suitably joined as by welding to provide eachside panel 14 as a unitary frame.

Permanent but relatively movable interconnection of the back panel 12and side panels 14 is shown as advantageously provided by having certainof the horizontal members 20 of the back panel 12 integrally extendedand hooked over, as shown by the bights or hooks 32, which loosely hookaround the rear vertical members 26 of the side panel 14, hingedlyinterconnecting the back 'panel 12 and side panels 14, and permittinghinged relative movement of the panels 12 and 14 between a flat orcollapsed condition (not shown) and the rack-forming positionillustrated.

The shelves 16' are also shown as formed of heavy wire or rod stock,suitably welded to provide each shelf 16 as a unitary frame. Each shelf16 as shown comprises an article-supporting grid ofhorizontally-extending lateral members 34 and fore-and-aft members 36.

.the risers 38 and member 40 thus advantageously providing a front rimor wall for the shelf, preventing display articles from fallingtherefrom and providing a location for signs such as for advertising orprice.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are detail views taken generally along Now will :bedescribed the advantageous means which provide convenient installationof the shelves 16 in optionally-selectable positions, and which providesturdiness and rigidity to the assemblage, all without auxiliary holdingmeans such as screws or bands or movable lathes, but utilizinginterengaging portions of rack components integrally provided thereon.

Thus, according to concepts of the present invention, latch-rods 42arecarried by each shelf 16, running foreand-aft along the rear portionof the shelf, and shown as providing a downwardly-extending finger 44.Three fingers 44 are shown for each shelf 16; and each is shown asadvantageously formed by an integral extension of latchrod 42,successive portions being formed to run downwardly, then laterally, thenupwardly, then forwardly along the latch-rod 42 where the terminalportion 45 of the extension'is secured to a shelf-member 34. The finger44 thus formed is both strong and inherently provides smoothentry-portion 46 by the smoothness of the rod. The fingers 44, when theshelf is installed on the rack, overlie a horizontal member 2110f theback-panel, thus supporting the rear portion of the shelf andrestricting forward movement thereof; and (see FIGS. 1 and 3) thefingers 44 abut vertical members 18 of the back panel 12, thusrestricting lateral movement of the rearportion of the shelf 16. i J

Snugness of assemblage is enhanced by having at least one of the fingers44 being formed (see FIG. 4) to have a slight forward inclination, andwith its location on the a,rss,sa2

' as shelf 16 being such that a slight resilient deformation of theback-panel member 20 is necessary to effect engagement of the finger 44thereover, as is apparent in the drawing in FIG. 3, and from thelocation of member 20 being slightly displaced with respect to verticalmember 18 in FIG. 4 when compared to FIG. 5.

Forward support of the shelves 16 is shown by fingers 48 extending fromthe forward portions of the shelves 16 and snugly fitting (see FIG. 3)into the recess slot or space between the slightly-laterally-displacedvertical members 24 and 39 of the side panels 14; This displacement ofmembers 24 and 30, as mentioned above, is provided by the thickness ofside panel horizontal members 28, such members 28 thus integrallyproviding locating means establishing the desired spacing for sungreception of the finger 48. More specifically, in the embodiment shown,the spacing is also dependent upon the type of welding operation; for asshown in the right portion of FIG. 3, the welding of members 24 and 30onto member 28 locates them at a spacing slightly less than thethickness of member 28.

The fingers 48 are shown as advantageously provided by integralextensions of the forward one of the horizontal shelf-members 34 and theupper horizontal shelf-member I 40, portions of such extensions beingformed to run rearwardly, then vertically, then forwardly, thenlaterally inwardly where a terminal portion 50 is secured to arisermember 38. I

The fingers 48, like fingers 44 previously described, are both strongand inherently provide a smooth entry-portion 52, by the smoothness ofthe rods from which members 34 and 40 are-formed. This smoothnessprovides ease of insertion of fingers 48 between members 24 and 30.

Fingers 48 rest upon horizontal members 28 of the side-panels, thussupporting the front portion of the shelf 16, and, interfitting betweenmembers 24 and 3t); fingers 48 restrict lateral movement of the frontportion of the shelf and maintain a perpendicular orientation of sidepanels 14 with respect to the back panel 12; moreover, since fingers 48abut the front of vertical members 24 of the side panels 14, the fingers48 restrict rearward movement of the shelf 16 and thus co-operate withthe fingers 44 to restrict all fore-and-aft movement of the shelf.

It will also be observed in FIG. 2 that the height of fingers 48 is suchas to substantially fill the space between adjacent horizontal members28, the upper of such members 28 thereby acting to block upward movementof the shelf 16, further adding to the snugness of the assembly.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modification wherein a finger 48a replaces thefinger 48 of the other embodiment, and comprises a unitary member shownof generally U-shape, the ends of which extend respectively from thefront horizontal member 34 and the upper horizontal member 40 of theshelf 16 as in the first embodiment.

A further advantage is achieved by the nature of the holding meanseffected by the fingers 44 and 48, in that the fore-and-aft movement offingers'48 for releasement thereof requires a prior releasing of fingers44. The fingers 44, however are relatively inconspicuously located atthe rear of the rack; and thus it is unlikely that unauthorizedpersonnel will be able to disarrange or disassemble the shelves or rack.

It will be noted that a location and spacing co-operation existsthroughout, for purposes mentioned above, and achieving desiredadvantages. Thus, the depth (fore-andaft) of the shelves 116 and thespacing of the shelf-fingers 4 and 48 or 48a are related to the width(fore-and-aft) of the side panels 14 when the thickness of backmember 20is considered; the thicknessof fingers 48 or 48:: is related to thespacing of members 24 and 30 as established by members 28; the positionof fingers 44 is related to the location of back panel members 18; thelateralspacing of back panel hooks 32 is related to the lateral spacingof shelf-fingers 48 and 48a; the horizontal members 28 of the two sidepanels 14 are at elevations the same for both side panels, thusproviding supports for the shelf, and are slightly above theassociatedhorizontal member 20 of the back panel 12, member 20 providinga co-operating support for the shelf; and the vertical spacing betweenthe side panel horizontal members 28 is such as to accommodate theshelf-fingers .8 and 48a.

It is thus seen that concepts and features of the present inventionprovide advantages and economy of fabrication and assembly, achievingdesirable results'of sturdiness and rigidity of a foldable rack byadvantageous formation of the components, and economically utilizing aco-operation of location and spacing of features thereof. Assembly anddisassembly of the rack, and change of shelf-location, are ready andconvenient, requiring no tools, and requiring little or no mechanicalaptitude on the part of the user.

It will thus be seen that the foregoing description of the inventionaccording to the illustrated embodiments, considered with theaccompanying drawings, that the invention provides a novel andadvantageous display rack, having desired advantages andcharacteristics, and accomplishing its intended objects, including thosehereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of novel concepts of the invention;accordingly the invention is not to be considered limited to thespecific form or arrangement herein described and shown, or specificallycovered by the claims. The claims of the invention are:

1. A display rack, comprising an upright panel including a series. ofvertically spaced members,

means providing a recess in said panel adjacent each of said verticallyspaced members;

a shelf;

a finger carried by said shelf and adapted to engage one of saidrecesses to restrict the shelf against lateral movement and to rest onone of said vertically spaced members to support said shelf;

said finger being provided by heavy wire or rod extending from saidshelf and formed to run rearwardly, then forwardly, providing a smoothentry-portion for entering into said recess;

said shelf including a laterally extending member from which said fingeris formed as an integral extension thereof.

2. A display rack, comprising an upright panel including a series ofvertically spaced members, I

means providing a recess in said panel adjacent each of said verticallyspaced members;

a shelf; 7

a finger carried by said shelf and adapted to engage one of saidrecesses to restrict the shelf against lateral movement and rest on oneof said vertically spaced members to support said shelf;

said finger being provided by heavy wire or rod extending from saidshelf and formed to runrearwardly, then forwardly, providing a smoothentry-portion for entering into said recess.

3. A display rack, comprising:

a back panel including a plurality of horizontally extending members;

a shelf; a

means rearwardly extending from the shelf and providing a downwardlyextending and forwardly facing finger adapted to operatively hook overone of said horizontally extending members of the back panel to supportthe rear portion of the shelf and to restrict forward movement of theshelf with respect to the back panel; p

means supporting the shelf at not less than a certain distance in frontof the back panel, the distance being such that resilient deformationmust be imparted to effect operative engagement of the finger and thehorizontally extending member, thereby imparting stress therebetweenwhich maintains a tight relationship thereof.

4. A display rack, comprising:

a back panel including a plurality of horizontally extending members;

a shelf;

means rearwardly extending from the shelf and providing a downwardlyextending and forwardly facing finger adapted to operatively hook overone of said horizontally extending members of the back panel to supportthe rear portion of the shelf and to restrict forward movement of theshelf with respect to the back panel;

the back panel also including a vertically extending member;

the finger being disposed on said shelf to abut said verticallyextending back panel member to restrict lateral movement of the rearportion of the shelf with respect to the back panel.

5. A display rack, comprising:

a back panel;

side panels;

a shelf;

a first releasable holding means, interengaging between the shelf andthe back panel;

a second releasable holding means, interengaging between the shelf andthe side panels;

the said second holding means being non-releasable until said firstholding means has been released.

6. A collapsible display rack comprising a back panel having verticalend members and a plurality of horizontally disposed elastic membersfixedly interconnecting the vertical members;

a pair of end panels having front and back vertically disposed membersand horizontally extending cross members fixedly interconnecting acrossthe outsides of said panel vertical members;

hinge means interconnecting a back panel vertical member with an endpanel vertical member, permitting both of said end panels to swing aboutthe back panel ends;

a shelf having a length to loosely fit between said end panels whenpositioned at approximately right angles to the back panel;

at least one hook carried by said shelf, downturned to engage over oneof said back panel horizontal members;

a third vertically disposed member fixed to the outer sides of saidpanel horizontally extending cross members and located a distance alongsaid panel cross members to the rear of the panel front vertical member,defining an opening between the front panel vertical member and its saidthird vertical member, the opening being limited vertically to bebetween adjacent panel cross members; and

a shelf supporting finger carried by and at opposite front end portionsof said shelf turned approximately horizontally into said openingapproximately filling said opening,

said fingers retaining said panels against ends of said shelf when saidhook is engaged over said one back panel horizontal member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,391 6/34Reedy et al. 211-153 2,315,595 4/43 Chappory 211-149 2,680,522 6/54Temple 211-181 X 2,894,643 7/59 Maslow 211-148 3,007,708 11/61 Ochs211-181 X 3,091,345 5/63 H0086 et al. 211-181 X 3,093,261 6/63 Salat211-181 X 3,115,106 12/63 Gersch 211-181 3,127,215 3/64 Hubbard 211-149X FOREIGN PATENTS 663,326 5/63 Canada. 731,996 6/55 Great Britain.

410 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPLAY RACK, COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT PANEL INCLUDING A SERIES OFVERTICALLY SPACED MEMBERS, MEANS PROVIDING A RECESS IN SAID PANELADJACENT EACH OF SAID VERTICALLY SPACED MEMBERS; A SHELF; A FINGERCARRIED BY SAID SHELF AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE ONE OF SAID RECESSES TORESTRICT THE SHELF AGAINST LATERAL MOVEMENT AND TO REST ON ONE OF SAIDVERTICALLY SPACED MEMBERS TO SUPPORT SAID SHELF; SAID FINGER BEINGPROVIDED BY HEAVY WIRE OR ROD EXTENDING FROM SAID SHELF AND FORMED TORUN REARWARDLY, THEN FORWARDLY, PROVIDING A SMOOTH ENTRY-PORTION FORENTERING INTO SAID RECESS; SAID SHELF INCLUDING A LATERALLY EXTENDINGMEMBER FROM WHICH SAID FINGER IS FORMED AS AN INTEGRAL EXTENSIONTHEREOF.